HON JENNY MACKLIN MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SERVICES
MEMBER FOR JAGAJAGA
THE HON MARK DREYFUS QC MP
SHADOW ATTORNEY-GENERAL
SHADOW MINISTER FOR NATIONAL SECURITY
MEMBER FOR ISAACS
SURVIVORS OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE MUST NOT BE SHORT-CHANGED BY REDRESS
All organisations responsible for horrific child sexual abuse must meet their obligations as part of the proposed national redress scheme.
These organisations were responsible for horrific abuse - they cannot short-change survivors of child sexual abuse.
Federal Labor is very concerned by recent reports which indicate that minimum compensation payments to survivors could be halved and the maximum payments reduced from $200,000 to $150,000.
Its simply unacceptable that survivors of child sexual abuse could be short-changed under the Turnbull Government's proposed national redress scheme.
All Australians have been shocked and appalled by evidence of abuse heard at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse over the last four years.
For the Minister for Social Services, Christian Porter to now be considering reducing the amount of redress to survivors of child sexual abuse is unacceptable.
Survivors of child sexual abuse have been waiting their whole lives for redress.
Survivors of child sexual abuse do not deserve to go through a period of further uncertainty.
The Turnbull Government has needlessly delayed establishing a national redress scheme and it now appears intent on reducing the amount of redress survivors can access.
The Turnbull Government initially ignored the Royal Commission's advice to make an announcement on a redress scheme by December 2015 and proceed quickly with negotiations.
Then when Mr Porter did announce the proposed redress scheme in November 2016 not a single state, territory or institution had agreed to join the scheme.
Ten months later there's still no legislation before the Parliament and now it appears the Turnbull Government wants to reduce the amount of redress payments survivors are eligible for.
Christian Porter must get on with the job of delivering a fair national redress scheme that is consistent with the model recommended by the Royal Commission.
WEDNESDAY, 13 SEPTEMBER 2017
